Red Bull 'decide to sack Sergio Perez' with replacement already chosen as F1 star brutally snubbed
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Red Bull have reportedly decided to cut ties with Sergio Perez following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Liam Lawson chosen as his replacement.
The Mexican driver initially joined Red Bull at the last minute prior to the 2021 season and played a huge role in helping Max Verstappen clinch his first Drivers' Championship.
He showed signs of improvement and threatened to go toe-to-toe with Verstappen in the first five races of the 2023 season, but results were soon hard to come by for the experienced driver.
Perez finished last season 295 points behind Verstappen in the championship and it's been a similar story in 2024.
Sergio Perez has struggled at Red BullGettyHe's at risk of surpassing that record after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Perez down in eighth in the standings.
His poor performances have cost Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship with McLaren set to clinch their first team title since 1998.
Christian Horner had been coy when asked about Perez's future with the team despite the driver still having one year left on his deal.
But it appears as though Red Bull are ready to rip up that contract to give Verstappen a new team-mate for 2025.
According to Motorsport Italy, Lawson is set to be promoted to the Red Bull seat.
That move will come as a huge blow to Yuki Tsunoda, who has long been tipped for a seat at Red Bull.
The Japanese driver has finished ahead of Lawson in three consecutive races with RB and has consistently outperformed his team-mates since the start of the 2023 season.
But Tsunoda doesn't appear to have ever been under consideration by Red Bull to replace Perez.
Liam Lawson is set to replace Sergio Perez
GETTYIt's been suggested that Tsunoda's future with Red Bull has been linked with Honda, who have been his primary backer in F1.
With Lawson set to replace Perez, that also opens the door for a new driver at RB with Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar reportedly taking the seat.
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Perez's reported dismissal with Red Bull will likely see the Mexican leave F1 for good as he's set to turn 35 years old next year with no prospect of a seat elsewhere.
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